Kentucky officials justify withholding details of child-abuse cases

8:56 PM,
Jul. 31, 2013

DCBS Commissioner Teresa James testifies regarding redactions made to child abuse cases. Judge Phillip Shepherd heard testimonies as to why the Cabinet for Health and Family Services has made redactions to the Courier-Journal and Herald Leader with regards to information about child deaths and near deaths. July 29, 2013.

Written by

Jessie Halladay
| The Courier-Journal

Some of the children were killed, while others were left severely injured - shaken, beaten, neglected at the hands of parents or others charged with their care.

Their deaths or injuries are reported in detail in files kept by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which investigated the abuse or neglect they suffered. And for the past three days, officials with the cabinet, including social workers, testified about why some of the details, including in some cases the name of the abuser, should be kept from the public.

The hearing in Frankfort Circuit Court was the latest in an on-going ...